A hot market
Before moving to the Pacific Northwest two years ago, Rubin said she knew the Portland-Vancouver market was becoming a hotbed for film and advertising. Since the move, she added, the number of opportunities for makeup artists have steadily grown.
“Film industry revenue in Oregon used to average about $7 million a year and now it’s over $100 million, so it has really climbed,” she said. “When we opened our business in Vancouver, we discovered there is even more production in Washington state.
“There’s advertising because of all of the sports companies located around here; you have all the independent films being shot between the two states; and then of course you have “Grimm” and “Portlandia,”” Rubin added. “On top of that, there’s a huge bridal industry in Vancouver.”
Allure of the Academy
When asked about locating inside of the historic Academy (400 E Evergreen Blvd), Rubin said the space presented a great match for her business. After all, she noted, turning actors into characters for film or stage is all part of telling a story, and the Academy building has plenty of stories to tell.
“I love that it’s historical and that it was built in the 1800s,” Rubin said. “I love that there are potentially ghosts here and the mystique of it all. To be in a building that has this history of stories and ghosts is really just perfect for this business.”
For more information about Celena Rubin and Art of Makeup, visit www.artofmakeup.com .
{jathumbnail off}
